The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-02-24
WHOLE NO. 1856.
Military Strength - Russia.

In view of the present European dis
content and the warlike aspect of for
eign affairs Il concise account of the
present military strength of Russia
will be of interest.
BY an imperial ukase of Nov. 4,
1870, every Russian subject is liable to
twenty years military service. the
period of liability beginning in some
parts of the Empire at IS, in others at
20. The infantry of the active army
comprises about 1882 men, with
80, ,620 horses and 1896 carriages. The
first infantry reserve has a strength of
527 ,l75 men. Besides there are six
local battalions, so called, numbering
in all 5,494 men, and six especial re-
serve battalions" in Asia, numbering
6,O24 men. The gross total of the
Russian infantry, active and first re-
serve, is l, ,466, 347 men. When to this
are added the cavalry forces and the
'levies III mass it appears that Rus
sia, if need be, could defend herself
with over 5,500,000 men, all of whom
have received some military training.
As for the navy. This is divided in
to three divisions-the Baltic fleet, the
Black Sea fleet, and the Siberian fleet.
1t comprises seventeen sea-going iron
clads. These are not, however, of the
most recent construction. But there
are now building for use in the Black
Sea three very powerful ironclads.
These are equal to any, save perhaps
one or two, that carry the British
Haor In tho CaCDioo Goo Pueci, hoe
sixteen vessels, and in the Sea of Aral
six. These are gun-bearing steamers;
so they afford ample means of trans
port of stores and troops to the Afghan
frontier. About halfway down on the
west coast of the Caspian is Baku,
which is connected by rail with South
ern and interior Russia. Directly
across on the opposite coast is Fort
Michaeloffski. Thither by rail to Baku
and thence by steamer, or by steamer
from the mouth of the Ural in the
north, reinforcements could be con-
veyed with ease and speed. From this
fort, which is a grand strategic point,
an extensive railroad runs southeast
through Persia and to the East,
During the last six months every
military post along the line of this
railway has been greatly strengthened;
and between 10000 and $4,000 men
are now distributed between Fort
MichaeloffSki and Samarkand. In the
other garrisons of the Caucasus there
are 100000 men, so that if war were
declared to-day large body of Rus
sian troops-100, 900 if needed-would
certainly be in Afghanistan and al
most at the gates of Herat by this day
fortnight. The first victory, conse
quently, would almost inevitably be
Russian. And all students of Asiatic
warfare know the peculiar value and
prestige to be thus gained. England
could not reach Herat within a month
from the time of Russia's arrival at
that point; and by that time, even on
the supposition that the Afghans still
continued loyal to the English, Herat
would probably have fallen Thus, if
Russia actually does intend to 90 to
war in the spring, it seems as if she
would have pretty nearly everything
her own way in Afghanistan. That
there would be no sort of Justice in
such a move is, Of course, evident, but
that 1t would be the expression of
very wise policy of statecraft is equally
plain. We need not put much conf
dence in the statement of the Polish
paper Gas, to the effect that war in
the spring is certainty. But there is
no question that it seems altogether
probable, and that if it does come the
fighting strength of Russia will be all |
but invincible. The question why
should Russia fight is. for various
reasons, not difficult of answer.-Bos-
ton AdrertjSer.